What Is Wrong With My Giant Granadilla?

Do the leaves have lots of discolored spots that look like they were sprinkled on?

Does the plant wilts, leaves turning brown or pale yellow?

Do the leaves have any small circular or irregularly shaped dry spots that are gray to straw in color?

Are there any small translucent spots on leaves, spots later turn black?

Do the leaves have spots or blotches?

Is the tree growth slow with reduced vigor, leaves are turning yellow and wilting, and shoots and branches are dying back

Are there any irregularly-shaped brown corky areas on the peel surface that usually split?

Do the leaves have large, ragged holes in them, but there are no visible caterpillars?

Do the leaves have holes?

Are the leaves curled and distorted?

The passion fruit woodiness virus is most likely to blame. Along with spotty discoloration, this virus makes the leaves crinkle, and the fruit grows small and deformed. Woodiness virus is spread by aphids and occasionally garden tools. Unfortunately, there is no cure for viruses, so you should remove and destroy your plants to stop the spread of the virus.

These symptoms are most likely caused by Fusarium wilt. There is no cure for Fusarium wilt, so the infected plants should be destroyed. Do not plant any susceptible plants to Fusarium wilt in the same spot for several years.

These symptoms indicate a fungal disease - Anthracnose. Keep plants dry when watering to prevent spread. Spray plants with copper when the first fruit develops if you have had problems in the past. Bordeaux mixture can also help to protect the plant from the disease.

Bacterial leaf spot causes circular translucent spots scattered over the leaf surface between the veins. These spots turn brownish-black and may spread to form large patches of dead tissue. To prevent the spread of this disease, avoid working around wet plants. Remove and destroy affected parts. Spray Bordeaux mix on remaining plants.

Your plant is suffering from a fungal leaf spot. These can come from several fungus diseases, causing spots to occur on foliage. Spots may enlarge rapidly, especially in wet weather. Destroy infected leaves or plants. Spray plants with sulfur to prevent the disease from spreading, especially if the weather is wet. Spray between rains. Prevent problems by thinning plants to provide good air circulation.

Your granadilla might have suffered from Phytophthora root and crown rot. Minimize soil wetness and saturation by planting trees in well-draining soils. Drainage can be improved by leveling soil or installing drainage systems. Avoid wetting tree trunks when irrigating.

Brown, velvety, or corky surface lesions on fruits usually indicate a disease - Scab. This fungal disease spread during springtime when warmth and moisture promote last year's spores to discharge and fly. To prevent scab, destroy all dropped leaves before spring. Growing season applications of copper or sulfur sprays can help a lot in control of the disease. Pruning trees to encourage air circulation also helps.

Large, ragged holes in the leaves are caused by slugs and snails. Slugs and snails feed on the plant leaves at night. To control slugs and snails use diatomaceous earth around your plants. You can also handpick them during the night or use shallow dishes filled with beer as a trap.

Various caterpillars will feed on giant granadilla leaves. They may also feed on stems, flowers, and fruit. Handpick and destroy caterpillars, or spray plants with BTK if caterpillars are feeding.

Distorted and curled leaves are caused by aphids. These tiny insects cluster under leaves and on growing tips where they feed on plant sap. Leaves, stems, and buds get distorted and later leaves and flowers drop from the plant. You can control them by washing them off the plant with water spray. Insecticidal soap should be used with severe infestations.

Yellow, stunted plants and roots that have swollen galls indicate root-knot nematodes. Other symptoms are plants wilting during bright, hot days. Prevent root-knot nematodes by applying chitin or introducing parasitic nematodes to the soil before planting. Solarizing the soil also helps in preventing root-knot nematodes.